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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 1973)
Page 2 College Station, Texas Tuesday, November 13, 1973 THE BATTALION Minorities Not Only Culprits in Population Growth By ELEANOR NORTON When the Commission on Popu lation Growth and the American Future was first established, it was viewed with suspicion by many in the minority community. The thought that a group ap pointed by President Nixon was going to make recommendations to solve a population “problem” filled many with concern that blacks and other minorities would be viewed as the “problem.” However, those appointed to the Commision including blacks, Spanish - speaking people, and women proved themselves fiercely independent. They produced a report that obliterates the myths about minorities and population growth. The report rejects the notion that minorities are primarily re sponsible for the bulk of popula tion growth. It shows that minorities could benefit from a slower rate of total population growth. It also speaks strongly in favor of the basic personal right to have children by choice, not chance. The report rejected all appeals that have been made to coerce people to reduce their childbearing. The document produced by the Commission is important to all of us and deserves our attention. One of the key points made is that the nation will realize no specific benefits from continued population growth. Our popula tion will grow by at least 50-75 million more people by the year 2000. Eventual stabilization ac cording to the report would afford the nation a better opportunity to deal with some of its more persistent problems. However, stabilization would not guarantee solution of any of these problems. We will have to choose to make the best of the additional time in terms of allocating resources in order to solve problems of na tional importance. For me the Commission’s rec ommendations on human repro duction were by far the most im portant. The report states very strongly that minorities are not primarily responsible for the bulk of population growth. A study conducted for the Commission proves that fact. The study showed that in 1969, among all women between the ages of 35 and 44, the Spanish speaking, Indians and blacks to gether only contributed 30 per cent of childbearing in excess of replacement needs. The white majority contributed the rest. Had no black or Spanish-speak ing children been born in the 1960s, the population would be only 4 percent smaller than it is now. However, another study, the National Fertility Study of 1970 showed that unwanted fertility among minorities is extremely high. This high rate of unwanted fertility represents the general exclusion of minorities from ac cess to the economic mainstream 'HE HAS A PLAN TO SUPPLY ENERGY—GO CONNECT THESE TO THE NATION'S ELECTRICAL SUPPLY . . .' Butt Commentary Everyone’s Information “ It is hereby declared to be the public policy of the State of Texas that all persons are, unless expressly pro vided by law, at all times entitled to full and complete in formation regarding the affairs of government and the of ficial acts of those who represent them as public officials and employes. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created ...” HB No. 6, Sec. 1 Legislature of the State of Texas, 1973 The Battalion accepts seriously its responsibility to the University and community publics to provide full and com plete information pertaining to the affairs of institutional government both at TAMU and community. University of ficials have time again tried to avoid giving official data to the Student Government and The Battalion, usually to find students using a back door or pressure to get information in the end. Some officials at TAMU try to treat information as if it is classified and should be shown only to the highest of University leaders. The truth of the matter is that most information wanted consists of simple routine facts, not personnel, personal, investigative material. The Battalion has many times had great difficulty in getting information from the student services administra tion, especially involving police matters. With constant prod ding, though, the information is generally released. The sources quite frequently want to remain anonymous, how ever. House Bill 6, passed last spring by the Texas Legisla ture, states that all information collected, essembled or main tained by governmental bodies is public information—with certain exceptions, including “records of law inforcement agencies which are maintained for internal records and no tations of such law enforcement agencies which are main tained for internal use in matters relating to law enforce ment.” The exception, as The Daily Texan in Austin pointed out several week ago, is somewhat broadly and vaguely worded. In the words of the Texan, “Indeed, not to release the requested information would be to deny the public’s right to know the activities of their government, and to under mine public confidence in the University ...” Life around A&M could be accomplished without so much of the pushing and pulling that is necessitated in the endeavor to seek information—information that many times ends up public anyway. The sooner this is realized by everyone, including students, the sooner it will be accom plished. Cbe Battalion Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or of the writer of the article and are not necessarily those of the University administration or the Board of Directors. The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting enterprise operated by students as a University and Community newspaper. LETTERS POLICY Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and are subject to being cut to that length or less if longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit such letters and does not guarantee to publish any letter. Each letter must be signed and show the address of the writer. Address correspondence to Listen Up, The Battalion, Room 217, Services Building, College Station, Texas 77843. Members of the Student Publications Board are: Jim Lindsey, chairman; Dr. Tom Adair, Dr. R. A. Albanese, Dr. H. E. Hierth, W. C. Harrison, J. W. Griffith, L. E. Kruse and B. B. Sears. Represented nationally by National Educational Advertising Services. Inc, New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. The Battalion, a student newspaper at Texas A&M, is published in College Station, Texas, daily except Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and holiday periods, September through May, and once a week during summer school. MEMBER The Associated Press, Texas Press Association Mail subscriptions are $3.50 per semester; $6 per school year; $6.50 per full year. All subscriptions subject to 6% sales tax. Advertising rate furnished on request. Address: The Battalion, Room 217, Services Building, College Station, Texas 77843. The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous origin published herein. Right of reproduction of all other matter herein are also reserved. Second-Class postage paid at College Station, Texas. EDITOR MIKE RICE Assistant to the Editor Rod Speer Managing Editor Greg Moses News Editor T. C. Gallucci Sports Editor Kevin Coffey Ass’t. Sports Editor Ted Boriskie of American life and to basic health services. All Commission studies indi cated that families were large not because individuals preferred more children, but because of a lack of information, education, and participation in the economic mainstream of American life. This was true of families from all races. The Commission stated that people should be able to have only as many children as they choose and recommended a policy to re duce unwanted fertility and im prove the outcome of pregnancy. They urged that laws which re strict access to contraceptive in formation and services be abol ished, that the government extend its support of voluntary family planning programs, and that the government vastly increase re search and development of im proved methods of contraception. All too frequently unwanted pregnancy is the result of contra ceptive failure. The most effec tive contraceptives presently on the market are “the pill” and the intrauterine device, “IUD.” There are 8 million women using the pill, and a smaller number who use the IUD. However, both of these methods have proved far from perfect. With regard to reproduction, it’s important to note that the Commission rejected all measures which would have the effect of forcing people to reduce their childbearing. The Commission examined the various programs and tax policies, and found them all totally unacceptable. This is important to members of the minority community, because the consequences of these coercive proposals would fall most heavily on us. The Commission was also con cerned that measures which penalize childbearing ultimately affect the child more adversely than the parents. According to the report, “To penalize children in order to motivate their parents is not justifiable.” The real issue for black people and other minorities is how to improve the quality of their lives, in other words, getting better education, jobs, and social serv ices. We must demand the right to access to better contraceptives and to family planning services so that we can be free to have children when we want them, The ability of individuals to con trol their own fertility is at the root of controlling their own lives. Eleanor Holmes Norton is chairman of the New York City Commission on Human Rights and serves as a co-chairman of the Citizens’ Committee on Popu lation and the American Future." Listen Up— Energy Conservation Methods Noted Editor: It is doubtful that anyone can now claim that there is not an energy shortage—if not crisis— due to the short supply of fuel. We feel that much can be achiev ed if everyone is aware of the seriousness of the problem and the need for voluntary action. Wherever a person lives, there is much that a person can do to cut back on energy waste without too much discomfort. We all have become used to having a lot of unnecessary appliances and we should consider whether or not any electrical appliance needs to be turned on in the first place and if so, for how long. TV sched ules could be consulted before the TV is turned on, perhaps to find that nothing is on. Stereos can be played at levels that don’t drive neighbors up the wall. Lights can be turned off whenever they are not being used (at this time, the bulb life might be considered less important than the energy wasted) and fewer lights can be used. Refrigerators can be unplugged when not in use. Thermostats, where possible, can be turned down or turned up and off when everyone is gone. Energy is also needed to purify and heat water. Shorter, cooler showers should be considered. When walking or bike riding to or from anywhere, it is not practical or convenient, we rec ommend trying to use buses or carpools. A bus can carry a large number of people and waste a lot less fuel than would the number of cars required to carry the same number. By the same token, where buses are unavailable or incon venient, one car can carry several people and waste less fuel than if each person takes his or her own car. Slower driving speeds will help, also. The main idea is a reversal from what we’ve grown used to: don’t drive alone when you can ride with others; and don’t ride when you can walk or use a bike. Please call us if you have more suggestions or would like addi tional information. Greg Smith, 693-4098 Greg Johnson, 845-4079 John Rosenbaum, 845-1830 ★ ★ ★ Editor: In regard to the Batt Commen tary, “Vote ‘No’ Tuesday,” and have several comments to make. Several good points are brought out in the article, such as the need for increased constituency input into the selection process of appointed Senators. This has nothing to do with the amend ments to be voted on today. These amendments simply provide a means for the Senate to discip line their own members. The first two amendments are noth ing more than standard Univer sity policy, and should therefore be incorporated into the Stu dent Government Constitution The third amendmena, which al lows the Senate to punish its own members, is flexible enough to allow its use as the situation arises. The Senate passed these amendments by a vote of 51-7 and I urge urge the students to pass them, also. The commentary should have been published early enough to allow time for replies before the voters go to the polls. David L. White Student Government Treasurer We concede to your last state ment, and agree with the sim ple motives behind the amend ments. But, students need more ways to have input into the method of replacing their own senators, as Randy Ross indicat ed to The Battalion Monday that he would start doing. Our opinion on the first two was given in the column earlier in the semester. —Ed. ★ ★ ★ Editor: Re: Taylor Sealy on suicide. I have spent the last three weeks in one of the most inter esting studies of my academic career—the study of moral is sues of suicide. During this time a few things have become evi dent. Weakness of character is not to be considered a virtue. However, the most heinous crime in many suicides is not the one committed by the victim, but the one committed by an apathe tic society. It is a society which is often completely devoid of love or sympathy for those who are hurt, lonely, or suffering from great mental or physical anguish. Many people who finally com mit suicide have lived for long periods of time under circum stances so difficult that no one else can comprehend them. Mr. Sealy, if I were convinced that all the world was without the in sight and compassion you seem to lack, there would be little hope or reason for continuing. I hope that someday you experience a severe depression or need some one when there is no one there. Perhaps your understanding and tolerance will increase. Karen Banks ★ ★ ★ Editor: According to a recent article in “Newsweek” (Oct. 29), more than 250 eminent intellectuals signed a manifesto which, among other things asserted that an individual has the inalienable right to kill himself. Further more the article continues, that in Germany and Scandinavia, suicide is considered “as honor able a way of dying as any other.” Indeed, the world is full of mysteries to Taylor Sealy and the chief of these mysteries is that there is a “two percent." It’s almost as if TAMU were some sort of university and not a religion. Cassindra Klos ’75 SHOULD PRESIDENT NIXON BE IMPEACHED? NATIONAL STUDENT OPINION POLL ON IMPEACHMENT The following questions have been distributed by the National Student Lobby to students across the country in order to determine by a wide-spread and fair sampling the feeling about the im peachment of President Nixon. Please send your reply as soon as possible to: Communications Director, National Student Lobby, 413 East Capitol Street, S. E., Washington, D. C. 20003, or call, (202) 547-5500. 1. Notwithstanding the agreement by President Nixon to submit Watergate-related tapes sub- poened by the Court: A. I feel the House Judiciary Committee should hold extensive hearings on the question of impeachment, although not necessarily vote to impeach. B. I feel President Nixon should be impeached by the House. C. I do not feel there is reason for House action on impeachment. D. Don’t know. 2. In regard to potential further investigations and prosecutions arising from Watergate and the 1972 Presidential campaign: A. I feel a Special Prosecutor should be appointed by President Nivon, and be removable by the President through the Acting Attorney General Robert Bork. (As proposed by President Nixon on Friday, Oct. 26, 1973) B. I feel a Special Prosecutor should be appointed by Judge Sirica and the U. S. District Court, and be removable by the Court. (As proposed by American Bar Assn, on Saturday, Oct. 27, 1973 and proposed House and Senate legislation.) C. Don’t know. 3. In regard to actions taken by the National Student Lobby: A. I feel it is important for NSL to express student opinion on the impeachment issue based on the findings of this survey. B. I feel NSL staff should not actively lobby, but should serve as a clearinghouse for im peachment information and local, campus activities regarding impeachment. NAME SCHOOL ADDRESS ZIP I would like further information: American Civil Liberties Union handbook on local impeachment committee operations. House Judiciary Committee report on Impeachment — cost: $5.00. Information packet — cost: $1.00. Statement on impeachment by American Bar Association.